At what cost, a pulp mill?

Bob McMahon A briefing to the federal Labor government and the Georgetown Council on the occasion of the Georgetown Public Meeting on November 27th by Robert McMahon constrained by a time limit of 2 minutes.

THERE will be no peace in Tasmania until and unless the new federal Labor government deals with the massive problem it has inherited and for which it is in part responsible.

ONE
Rudd can start by inaugurating a proper examination of the risks and impacts of this proposed pulp mill. To date the risks and impacts have been deliberately excluded from consideration. Only the benefits have been spruiked.

The Georgetown Council is culpable in dismissing any concern for the livelihoods and the health and well-being of the people of this municipality. This council has betrayed the people of this municipality. The West Tamar Council and the Launceston Council have responded to the people and withdrawn support of the mill. They have rectified the errors of the past. High time this council did the same and high time the federal Labor party listened to the people and instituted a proper assessment process and not acquiesced in the grubby con Lennon has imposed on us.

TWO
Withdraw the massive subsidies, $200m or more a year, that go to the unsustainable logging industry and to the pulp mill, a subsidy paid to Gunns so that it can rip the lungs out of Tasmania and by extension, rip the lungs out of the planet. To sign up to Kyoto and at the same time subsidise this planet-choking clear fell and burn logging industry, and this massive pulp mill, is seriously schizophrenic as climate catastrophe descends on us.

Let the industry and the mill compete in the free market like the businesses that we operate. This corporate welfare comes at the expense of essential services like public health, public education, public housing. Corporate welfare is destroying the social fabric of Tasmania. We cannot go on like this. Currently we can have a pulp mill or a health system. We cannot have both. Which would you prefer?

THREE
Restore democratic and due process in Tasmania. Confront cronyism and corruption and separate business and government in this state. There’s a former deputy premier in the dock and most of us here tonight suspect there’s a bunch of others who should be there as well. Rudd, clear out the stables.

FOUR
End the MIS schemes that have seen the replacement of our productive farm land with tree plantations using tax payers’ money. To destroy this nation’s food production is treason. To destroy this nation’s food production is to commit national suicide. Why? Just so as to appease a board of directors which is intent on milking the public purse for all it can get and which cannot even run a legal Annual General Meeting.

That is the brief for the new government. This council had better play its part, or we, the people, will be forced to act.

Robert McMahon